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ORANGE SIZER.

No. 458,061. Patented Aug. 18. 1891.

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Patented Aug.- 18, 1891.

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ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES y'PATENT OFFICE.

JJOHN J OINER MCOLENDON, OF LEESBURG, FLORIDA, ASSIGN OR OF ONE: THIRDTO ROBERT R. MILAM, OF SAME PLACE.

ORANGE-slzER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 458,061, dated August18, 1891. Application tiled February 3, 1891. Serial No. 379,984. (Nomodel.)

To all whom t may concer-72,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN JOINER MCCLEN- DON, of Leesburg, in the countyof Lake and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Orange-Sizers,of which the following is a specification.

The objectof my invention is to provide a device for separating orangesor other similar fruit or articles into grades of different sizes, andwhich device shall occupy but little space and shall rapidly andefliciently accomplish it-s work in an automatic manner.

To these ends it consists, mainly, in a rotary feed table or carrierwhich is provided with seats or pockets having gates or valves at theirbottoms, which are gradually opened by one or more cams as the tablerevolves, and through which gates the oranges are dropped into subjacentcompartments for the different sizes, the extent of horizontal travel onthe table and the extent of opening of the gates being correlated, sothat the different sizes of oranges are dropped at different points inthe travel of thetable into different compart-v ments, the smaller oranges first and the larger ones successively in the order of theirincreased size.

It also consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of thevarious parts, as will be hereinafter fully described.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig.3 is a plan view with the revolving table removed. Fig. 4 is a view ofthe under side of the table, and Figs. 5 and 6 are details of thefeeding devices.

In the drawings, M is an upright rectangular frame-work having at H astep-bearing for a vertical rotary shaft F. This shaft is revolved by apair of bevel-gears G and a horizontal shaft l with crank-arm. To thetop of this shaftF is attached a circular table A, which revolves abovea circular series of compartments J, each designed to receive oranges ofone grade. There may be any number of these compartments, dependent uponthe number of sizes into which the oranges are to be graded, and fromthese compartments, which are stationary, the oranges are to be run offinto their shipping-boxes by of gatesl or valves, which form seats forthe or- Y 'an ges and are gradually opened bycams as the table revolvesand allow the oranges to drop through sooner orlater, according to thesize of the orange and the degree to which the gates are opened. Thesegates consist of two sections a b, which close together toward themiddle of the opening O by means of springs c and move in parallelguides m m. One of these sections a has a friction-roller c, which bearsagainst the inner side of flange-cams K, which latter are attached tothe stationary subjacent frame-work. As the table rotates, thesestationary cams, acting upon the gatesections a, cause them to begradually opened and closed twice every complete revolution of thetable. The movement of the section a is also made to cause a similarmovement in the section b, which latter is connected to a on each sideby a cord e, which passes around a pulley d, so that the two sections a,and b open and shut equally on opposite sides of the center of the holeC. By this double action I get a larger range of opening fora giventhrow of the cam; but a gate or valve with a single section might beemployed beneath each hole O.

The oranges are fed onto the table A from two inclined troughs L, whencethey drop laterally into the holes O, whose upper edges are beveled orhollowed. To feed the oranges one by one into these holes there isopposite each hole O an inclined tripping-cam D, fastened to the table,designed to act upon a tilting shoe B. This shoe is futcrumed at t' tothe trough, and has at its other end a lip 'n that rests upon an elasticstop h, and on the bottom of the shoe is a friction-roller g. As thetable revolves beneath the troughs L, the tripping-cams D lift the shoesB,of the troughs whenever an opening O comes opposite them, and thesurface of the shoe being inclined IOO or hollowed out laterally itserves to throw an orange out through the lateral opening in the troughat the proper intervals.

To prevent the oranges from rolling oit' the table in case any oi themmay not be well seated in the holes, a guard rail or rim fr surroundsthe edge of the table.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The oranges being fed one at a time into the openings G, they rest uponthe gates or valves a i charge-openin g correlated in size to the travely of the orange on the table I am enabled to divide the oranges into asmany grades of sizes as may be desired. The work is done veryexpeditiously, with a great economy of space and labor, and withoutsubjecting the oranges to any bruises or abrasions which would aiecttheir keeping qualities or fair appearance.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is# l. Asizing-machine having a traveling carrier provided with seats or pocketshaving adjustable dischargegates orvalves correlated in their extent ofopening to the travel of the carrier, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. A sizing-machine consisting of a rotat ing table having seats orpockets, discharge gates or valves for said seats or pockets, and camsfor operating said gates or valves, all

combined substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of the revolving table A, having seats or pockets,gate-sections a and' l), arranged upon the under side of the seats 0rpockets and provided with springs c, cords e, and pulleys CZ forconnecting them, and the stationary cams K, substantially as shown anddescribed.

i. The combination of the revolving table A, having seats or pockets, asupporting-shaft, with means for rotating it, gate-sections arrangedupon the under side ot the seats or pockets, cams for operating saidgate-sections,

and a circular series of compartments J, ar-

ranged beneath the table to receive and guide the fruit or otherarticles, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination, With the traveling table A, having seats or pockets,with trippingcams D arrangedbeside thesame, of the trough L, havin g atilting shoe B operated upon by the tripping-cams to feed the table, asdescribed.

JOHN J OINER MCCLENDON.

Witnesses:

M. C. McALis'rER. l5. R. MILAM.

